Stardate: Crossroads
by Alixtii
Summary: An experimental Romulan weapon fractures history into two separate timelines--each with its own version of the Voyager. Star Trek past, present, and future must work together to preserve the time line--but whose version of history is the right one?
1. One

* * *

**S t a r d a t e : C r o s s r o a d s**

(An Odyssey Through Space and Time)

Summary: An experimental Romulan weapon fractures history into two separate timelines--each with its own version of the _Voyager_. Star Trek past, present, and future must work together to preserve the time line--but whose version of history is the right one?

"This is Subcommander Kathryn Janeway of the Romulan Star Empire _Warbird Voyager_."--Janeway

"Impressive title. I have no idea what it means, but it sounds very impressive ."--Neelix

Disclaimer: Kirk, Janeway, and the gang belong to Paramount, not to mention the ships, the entire universe, etc. Any character you haven't seen on TV or in a novel is mine, as are the alternate realities and the temporal anomaly. This isn't canon, of course. (You've probably read thousands of these; you know the deal.)

Notice: This story is so mild a Bolian wouldn't even get indigestion. However, it does include two female (marginally--a drone and a hologram) involved in a romantic relationship and even producing offspring. (Sorry, no sex, just a Borg maturation chamber). Call it PG-13.

BY ORDER OF THE SURGEON GENERAL

Warning: The following work of fiction utilizes the following literary devices: the RESET BUTTON™, the MYSTERIOUS TEMPORAL ANOMALY™, and TECHNOBABBLE™. Anyone with an adverse physical reaction to these literary devices should not read this story. (Seriously, the use of the RESET BUTTON™ allows the author to write a meaningful and insightful fic, explore the endless possibilities of TREK, and avoid conflicting with Paramount-sponsored canon. Besides, an idiot can see it coming from light- years away--Romulans do not run Starfleet. The MYSTERIOUS TEMPORAL ANOMALY™ is I think, pretty cool, although Janeway is still recovering from her headache--and the doctor is still recovering from Janeway. Any TREK fan worth his/her/its salt has seen a hundred of them. As for the TECHNOBABBLE™, even I don't understand some of the science--but believe me, it makes sense. Unless I made a mistake--which I very might have. I'm only human.) RESET BUTTON™, MYSTERIOUS TEMPORAL ANOMALY™, and TECHNOBABBLE™ are not registered trademarks of Paramount, although they might just as well be.

* * *

_**"The Probe," Sector 001   
Stardate 8390 (alternate)**_

Commanded by its makers to search out similar forms of life, and communicate with it, the probe scoured the galaxy, journeying from system to system. One planet, designated as 04756 in the probe's classification system but known to others as Earth, had such a species: a primitive, cetaceous, water-dwelling species. The probe had communicated with them, and left, to search for other species. Now it had returned, and was ready to begin the discourse anew. It spoke; it received no response. Perhaps the life forms had not heard it. It increased the power of its carrier wave and started again. Still no response. It spoke louder and louder, until it finally decided to give up and go on with its odyssey.

By then, Earth was destroyed.


	2. Two

> _**Joint Romulan-Cardassian Mining Station Terok Nor  
Stardate 48315.6, alternate**_

As Tom Paris saw the _Warbird Voyager_ docked at _Terok Nor_, the joint Romulan-Cardassian space station orbiting the planet Bajor, he couldn't help admiring the ship's beauty. Sleek and stylish, and more than capable of handling the Badland's worse.

The Romulan pilot, Sublieutenant Tala, briefed him on the ship. "_J'daltr_- class warbird, sustainable warp factor of 9.975, sixteen decks, 775,000 metric tons, crew compliment of 163, bioneural circuitry, and the latest generation of cloaking devices."

Paris learned for the chance to pilot the warbird. If it could navigate the Badlands, then there was probably nothing he couldn't do with it. Smaller, more maneuverable than the _D'deridex_-class warbird, Paris knew he could fly circles around one with this ship.

Yet perhaps it wasn't so strange he found the warbird so startlingly beautiful. It was the first one he had seen in a long, long time. He didn't get the chance for joyrides on Tradescus Three, only backbreaking hard labor. Then, of course, Janeway had shown up. The subcommander offered him a chance he couldn't resist: help the Romulans find the Maquis ship he served on, and he would be set free.

How could he turn down that?


	3. Three

**_USS Voyager, Delta Quadrant  
Stardate 53328.6_**

"Another point for you. You're improving, Seven." Janeway said.

"I am grateful for the encouragement. However, the fact that I still lose a significant percentage of games continues to disturb me."

Good old Seven. She might be the smartest person on the ship, but she still couldn't beat Janeway at Velocity. "Did you take my advice?" Janeway asked her.

"I have endeavored to 'trust my instincts' as you have advocated," admitted Seven. "However, there is a large probability that such random impressions are in error."

"If you truly believe that," said Janeway, shaking her head, "then you're not really trusting them."

Seven looked confused. "Am I simply to ignore the facts?"

Janeway tried to explain. "You're logically equivalent to a Vulcan, and you know how smart they are. But you can't think intuitively, Seven, and that's your problem. If you want to beat me at Velocity--or Naomi at Kadis-kot, for that matter--you'll have to learn."

"Can such a thing be learned?" Seven asked her.

"Frankly, Seven, I don't know," Janeway admitted. "Yet I've seen how far you've come already, and I know that if anyone can do it, it's you."

As if sensing that she had finished, Janeway's commbadge beeped. "Tuvok to Captain. I would appreciate it if you would come to the bridge."

Janeway looked at Seven and shrugged. The crew was harvesting various compounds from a nearby ice cloud. It was in unclaimed space far from any inhabited planets. What could be so urgent to demand her attention?

There was only one way to find out.


	4. Four

> **_IRW Voyager, docked at Terok Nor   
Stardate 48315.6, alternate_**

Subcommander Janeway stepped on the warbird's bridge. "Subcommander, welcome aboard the _Voyager_," Commander Tasalek, her commanding officer, said.

Janeway nodded grimly. She had spent hours with the Romulan High Command arguing to be given command of this mission herself, but they had refused. They weren't willing to put a human in charge of a warbird. She had loyally served the Empire for decades, but still at every turn, she was being suspected of being a Maquis operative or accused of being a would-be mutineer.

She looked around the bridge. There were two other non-Romulans, both human: Sublieutenant Harry Kim, and Tom Paris, the observer Janeway had recruited from the Romulan Penal Colony on Tradescus Three. She was glad she could get him off there--what the prisoners were put through there was downright barbaric.

"Sublieutenant Tala," Tasalek ordered, "lay in our course and clear our departure with operations."

"Course entered," was Tala's reply. "Operations has cleared us."

"Ready thrusters."

Kim worked at his console. "Thrusters ready."

Tasalek nodded. "Engage."


	5. Five

**_USS Enterprise, Spacedock   
Stardate 7421.3_**

James T. Kirk looked around him, taking in the scene, committing it to memory-as if it wasn't already engraved there. He knew it could very well be a very long time until he stood on the bridge of the Enterprise again. One day, years ago, (or was it only two?--it seemed like an eternity), he had stood on this bridge in command, had sat in that chair as Captain Kirk But those days were over. Kirk turned to Spock, his friend, the only one he truly trusted with his ship.

"Take care of her," he told Spock.

"I will endeavor to do so, Admiral," Spock answered.

Then there was silence: a moment, stretching into eternity. It was over, wasn't it? He had barged in during the V'Ger crisis, stolen his ship back from Decker for a few fleeting seconds. But now, it was time to pass it on once again. The silence continued, and Kirk knew there was nothing more to say. Slowly, he turned and headed for the turbolift, to leave this bridge, this ship.

"Admiral," Uhura called out before he reached the lift. "I'm receiving a priority message from Starfleet Command. Your eyes only."

Kirk looked at Spock; the Vulcan only raised an eyebrow. "I'll take it in Captain Spock's office, Uhura," Kirk told her, and entered Spock's office.

Admiral Lokai appeared on the screen. "Yes, Admiral?" Kirk asked.

"You are familiar with our science station orbiting Epsilon Theta IV," Lokai said. Like many admirals in Command, he did not ask questions, only state facts.

Kirk nodded. "Joint Research Lab N-3, with the Romulans."

"We've received some unsettling reports from N-3, Kirk. They have detected sensor ghosts which could possible be cloaked birds-of-prey. Security and intelligence reports are inconclusive as to the Romulans' activities, but suspicious nonetheless. We are especially worried by the possibility the Romulans may be using Fleet equipment and technology for unauthorized weapons research."

Kirk had heard reports of difficulties at N-3, but this was the first time he had received a full briefing on the subject. He nodded for Lokai to continue.

"Captain Spock's next mission is to take the Enterprise to deliver supplies to N-3. You are to accompany the Captain, to investigate the Romulans' activities."

Kirk looked at Lokai, his heart pounding. Again, he would remain on board the Enterprise. But how many times could he bear saying goodbye? "Certainly Spock is capable of handling it."

"I've discussed this with the Federation Council, Kirk, in a closed hearing. They insisted you head this mission. I have been through it with half of Command, and they agreed. With the Romulans involved, the stakes are too high to give the mission to an untested captain--although we have npthing but the greatest faith in Captain Spock's ability. We can give this no less than Starfleet's best--which is yourself, Admiral, as you proved many times during encounters with the Romulans when you commanded the Enterprise."

Finally, Kirk nodded. "Understood, Admiral," he told Lokai, and the transmission ended.

Kirk re-entered the bridge. "It seems we'll be staying awhile after all," he told Spock. "Command wants me to accompany you to N-3."

Spock raised an eyebrow, indicating he understood the implications but was not willing to discuss them in the open. "Make yourself at home, Admiral. The Enterprise is yours as long as you'll have it."

"It's your ship," Kirk told the Vulcan. "I'm just along for the ride."

He stopped by the console next to him, and opened a channel to sickbay.

"Chapel here."

"Doctor, please inform Dr. McCoy to unpack. We're going to stay here for a while."

"Of course, Admiral," Chapel started to answer, but she was predictably interrupted by McCoy.

"What, Jim? I thought we were leaving at 2200."

"Plans change, Bones," Kirk said. "At least, that's what Command just told me."


	6. Six

**_IRW Voyager, The Badlands  
Stardate 48315.6_**

The _Warbird Voyager_ traveled through the Badlands, trying to extrapolate the probable course of the Maquis ship from the plasma currents.

"I'm reading a coherent tetrion beam scanning us," Sublieutenant Kim reported. "And a displacement wave moving toward us."

Janeway glanced at the readings. "A graviton particle field might disperse it."

Tasalek nodded at the security officer, Subcommander Etror, who initiated the field.

"No effect," Kim announced.

"Brace for impact," Janeway suggested, as the wave caught up with the warbird, despite Tala's attempts to navigate out of the plasma storms so they could go to warp. Kim and most of the Romulans took her advice, but Tasalek and Tala were both caught in a brilliant flash of energy as a helm panel exploded.

"Hull breach on deck fourteen," Kim reported. "Dispatching a repair crew. Casualty reports coming. Medical bay not responding."

Janeway tapped the Romulan insignia on her chest. "Janeway to Doctor Rheiss," she shouted, but there was no response.

She turned, seeing Tom Paris standing over Tasalek and Tala. "They're dead," he told her.

Kim looked up at her. "If my sensors are correct, Subcommander, we're over 70,000 light years from our last position...We're on the other side of the galaxy."


	7. Seven

**_ USS Voyager, Delta Quadrant   
Stardate 53328.6_**

"Captain," said Tuvok as Janeway entered the bridge, "our scans of the cloud's interior came up with some extremely unusual results." He had said it in carefully monitored tones, but nonetheless Janeway, a close friend, could tell that Tuvok found the matter both extremely urgent and incredibly baffling. There was something very, very important about that cloud.

"Can you give me a visual?" Janeway asked. The computer would be able to use the information from the scans to reconstruct the cloud's interior graphically.

"Affirmative," Ensign Harry Kim answered from his position at Ops. "Onscreen."

And on the screen appeared a ship. It was noticeably of Starfleet design, with two warp nacelles and a saucer section, despite significant damage to the hull from the ice cloud. Janeway could still read the writing on the ship's exterior. It read ENTERPRISE NCC-1701. Janeway took a deep breath. This was the _USS Enterprise_. James T. Kirk's ship. _Constitution_-class. She looked around the bridge, observed as Paris, Kim, Chakotay, and all her officers stared at the viewscreen image in awe.

"How the hell did it get here?" Janeway asked to herself. "I thought it was destroyed."

"It was," confirmed Tuvok.

Tom Paris, the ship's pilot, turned around at the helm. "Was it? I know that is what they say, but I never found any references to it in the computer's databanks."

"The mission was heavily classified," Tuvok said. "Although, at the time, there was much talk about it."

"Captain Kirk destroyed it to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Klingons," Janeway told her bridge officers. She, of course, was familiar with the saga of the Genesis project.

"Then how did it end up here?"

Janeway sure didn't know. "Tuvok?"

"The _Enterprise_ went through a substantial refit in 2270," Tuvok said. "This _Enterprise_ has these modifications. However, I believe it was also substantially damaged prior to fulfilling its final mission."

Janeway nodded. "Yes, by the _USS Reliant_."

"The structural damage to the _Enterprise_ is not correlative with damage received in combat with another starship. It is thus to be assumed, until facts prove otherwise, that this _Enterprise_ participated in the 2270 refit but not the battle with the _Reliant_. Time of transport is thus narrowed to a ten-year time period."

Paris seemed to understand these dates. "During Captain Spock's command."

"You're saying this ship is really from the past?" Janeway asked. She sure hoped not-temporal paradoxes gave her headaches. Yet, despite it, the allure of this legendary ship, from a glorious past, drew her in.

"Logically everything is from the past, since it existed at some prior date. However, to answer your question as you intended it: no, it did not travel to our present from the past through time travel. It appears to have instead traveled back in time almost two hundred thousand years, and then existed in the timestream from that past date until the present."

"Holy _seraT_," said Paris, undoubtedly using a Klingon ephitet he had learned from Torres. "If the _Enterprise_ was transported back in time before the battle with the _Reliant_," Chakotay asked, "then why does our history have it existing afterwards?" "Logically," the Vulcan answered, "it would follow that this is not the _Enterprise_ from our history, but a similar ship from an alternate history."  
  
"An _Enterprise_ from an alternate reality?" Janeway asked, incredulous. At least they hadn't come face to face with any major paradoxes, though-yet.

"Exactly, Captain."

Well, at least that explained everything. It wasn't the actual _Enterprise_, whose presence would create all sorts of temporal paradoxes and problems- problems Janeway would rather not think about-but, instead, one from an alternate reality. It all made perfect sense, and would not be cause for a headache. Janeway was grateful.

Yet there was still a mystery. "Somehow, this alternate _Enterprise_ has passed into our reality. How?"

Tuvok answered. "There is an 87.2 percent chance it traveled through a space-time anomaly, an 11.3 percent chance it was transferred by an advanced, multi-dimensional being with unestablished motives, and a 2.5 percent chance this is some elaborate deception."

Janeway nodded. "We'll take the anomaly as our working hypothesis."

"The transfer of a ship would be a significant discrepancy between realities. It is likely that the anomaly is still active, and in all probability, dangerously unstable."

"Agreed," said Janeway. "Can you locate this anomaly?"

Kim, working the scanner from the Ops console, answered her. "From the data we are receiving from the ship, it is a quantum anomaly, but unanchored in space or time. It could be anywhere in the galaxy right now." Suddenly, Kim worked the controls intently. "But the high levels of tachyon residue make it likely it originated from an anomaly currently manifested three parsecs from here."

"It seems to be our lucky day," said Paris. "Or else we were predestined to find the ship and anomaly," Tuvok pointed out.

Janeway looked at the Vulcan. "Tuvok, please. There's no need to incite a migraine before we know what we're dealing with." Tuvok raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Kim, relay the coordinates to the helm."

"Course set in, Captain," Paris reported from the helm.

"Then let's go, Mr. Paris."


	8. Eight

> **_IRW Voyager, Delta Quadrant   
Stardate 48315.6 (alternate)_**
> 
> "Please state the nature of the medical emergency," the EMH stated as she materialized in front of Paris and Kim.
> 
> "Multiple percussive injuries," answered Kim.
> 
> "Status of your doctor?" she asked, looking annoyed.
> 
> "He's dead."
> 
> The EMH was distinctly upset. Kim wondered why they designed it to express such human--or rather, Romulan--emotion. He knew that the template was that of Doctor Karsat, the Romulan cyberneticist who had overseen the EMH project. Of course, Kim also knew that Karsat was little more than a figurehead for the project, and the true genius behind the project had been a human named Lewis Zimmerman.
> 
> "You will need to get a replacement here as soon as possible. I am programmed only as a short-term emergency supplement to the medical team." Kim shivered at the thought of making the 75-year voyage with _her_ overseeing the crew's health.


	9. Nine

> > _**IRW Qrinkartai, Sector 001  
****Stardate 8390, alternate**_
>> 
>> The Romulan bird of prey Qrinkartai was on a mission of exploration: to explore Federation space under cloak, discover any military secrets possible, and report their findings back to Romulus and Remus. They were currently traveling through the Sol sector while attempting to decrypt various coded messages to Starfleet Command.
>> 
>> "I'm detecting another one," the comm officer, Sublieutenant Ergon, announced. "It's not coded, and on maximum bandwidth."
>> 
>> "Is there a visual?" Commander Srankreth asked.
>> 
>> "Yes, sir," Ergon answered. "Onscreen."
>> 
>> A tall, dark-skinned man appeared. Srankreth recognized him as Admiral Cartwright, from the intelligence holos. "Do not approach Earth," he warned, through a large amount of static. "Do not . . ." he repeated, and then broke up.
>> 
>> "Attempting to compensate," Ergon reported. "Something's interfering with their communications."
>> 
>> "I have it on sensors," another officer, Sublieutenant Ralatk, reported. "Some type of . . . something. A probe, maybe. Definitely not of Federation origin." He paused, running a quick cross-reference. "Or that of any other race known to the Empire."
>> 
>> "What's our distance from Earth?" Srankreth asked.
>> 
>> "Less than a third of an isoparsec," Ralatk reported.
>> 
>> "Maintain our position," Srankreth ordered. "And keep a constant watch on that probe."
>> 
>> "It appears to be transmitting some type of sonic signal," Ralatk said.
>> 
>> "Sonic? As in sound waves?"
>> 
>> "Yes, commander. And seems to be causing quite some difficulty. Equipment malfunctions, meteorological calamities. And the probe's output is increasing. Geometrically. By my estimates, Earth should be totally destroyed within minutes."
>> 
>> "And with it, Starfleet Command and Federation Headquarters." A pleasing thought indeed, Srankreth mused.
>> 
>> "Yes, sir."
>> 
>> "Very well, then. We'll just wait for it to do so--and then take the spoils ourselves."


	10. Ten

__

> _**IRW Voyager, Delta Quadrant   
****Stardate 48135.6, alternate**_
> 
> _Commander's log, Stardate 48315.6, Subcommander Janeway reporting. We have returned to Voyager, after being temporarily abducted by whatever life-forms control the array that evidently brought us here to the Delta Quadrant. At least, most of have returned. One crewmember, Sublieutenant Kim, is still unaccounted for. We believe he may have been transferred to the Maquis ship accidentally._
> 
> "We are being hailed by the Warbird," Tuvok reported.
> 
> Chakotay looked up, surprised. What would the Romulans want with him-except perhaps to blow him out of the sky? "Put in on, Tuvok."
> 
> A human female, dressed in a Romulan military uniform, appeared on the viewscreen. "Subcommander Chakotay, I'm Subcommander Kathryn Janeway."
> 
> "How do you know my name?" he asked, wincing at his former Romulan rank. Here in the Maquis he was a captain-a good, old-fashioned human rank. He was instantly suspicious of Janeway, however, in her Romulan uniform; there was no room for trust, not here, so far from home, and certainly not when the Romulans were involved.
> 
> "We were on a mission to find you," she conceded, "when we were brought here by the Array. One of our crewmembers is missing."
> 
> So she claimed the Romulans knew as little about this as he did. He knew better than to trust that. Yet he could feel himself warming up to Janeway, like it or not. And from what he had seen from this array, it was rather unlikely it was a Romulan deception.
> 
> "Where's the commander?" Chakotay asked her. Why did the Romulans put a human to speak with him instead of a Romulan? To secure his good will?"
> 
> "Commander Tasalek died when the displacement wave hit us," she told him emotionlessly, "leaving me in charge." A human in charge of a warbird? Chakotay couldn't think of a single precedent. No doubt, the Romulans hadn't planned for this contingency--if Janeway was telling the truth. "We'll more concerned about our missing crewmember. Was he transported back to your ship by accident?"
> 
> He wrestled with his conscience and finally decided to trust her-this time. "No," he said. "A member of our crew is missing, too. B'Elanna Torres, my chief engineer."
> 
> Janeway seemed to study him from the viewscreen. "We seem to have the same problem, then, Subcommander. I think it makes sense to try and solve it together, don't you?"
> 
> Work with the Romulans? "How can we . . ." He trailed off, not even finishing.
> 
> Yet Janeway seemed to know what he was thinking. "I know your crew is wanted for hundreds of different crimes, the penalty for most of which is death. But Chakotay, Romulus and Remus are thousands of light-years away. For now, that doesn't mean much, does it? My first duty is to the crew of the _Voyager_."
> 
> Chakotay could see the Romulan security officer raise one of his eyebrows, indicating he didn't completely agree with what Janeway said. Interesting. Chakotay looked at Tuvok for advice; the Vulcan lifted one eyebrow, which Chakotay interpreted as approval. "Three of us will beam over shortly," he told her, then closed the com link.
> 
> "Disruptors," he ordered. "I'm not taking any chances with the Romulans." Tuvok raised another eyebrow, but complied nonetheless, holding the disruptor in his hand, alert. "Drop shields and beam Tuvok, Reynolds, and me over," Chakotay said. Then the ship disappeared around him, replaced by the Romulan bridge of the _Warbird Voyager_.
> 
> The instant they appeared, a half-dozen Romulans pulled out their disruptors and aimed them at the three Maquis, no doubt shocked into action by the three disruptors. "Put down your weapons," Janeway ordered the Romulans, and each reluctantly put away their disruptors. She turned to him, next. "You won't be needing those," she assured him.
> 
> Once again, Chakotay had to decide how far he trusted Janeway. And once again, he decided in her favor. The woman practically radiated an aura of trust and warmth. He put away the disruptor, and Tuvok and Reynolds did the same.
> 
> Then Janeway did something totally unexpected. She broke into a grin. "It's good to have you back, Lieutenant Tuvok."
> 
> Chakotay turned to the Vulcan, incredulously. This is what he got for trusting Janeway--betrayal?
> 
> "I must inform you," Tuvok said, "that I was assigned to infiltrate your crew, sir."
> 
> Chakotay could hear his anger seep into his voice. "Were you going to deliver us into their waiting hands, Vulcan?"
> 
> "My mission was to accumulate information on Maquis information," Tuvok continued, as if unaware of Chakotay's anger, "and then . . . deliver you into their 'waiting hands.' That is correct."
> 
> Chakotay sighed. Why blame the Vulcan? He didn't truly know what it was like to be human, looked down at by the Romulans. In all likelihood Tuvok had some Romulan blood; reunification had occurred rather well in the ninety years since the Romulan conquest.
> 
> Just as his anger was under control, however, he looked up and it flared all over again. "Good to see you too, Chakotay," Paris said, smiling.
> 
> "At least Tuvok was performing his duty as a Romulan officer," Chakotay growled. "What was your reward: freedom from prison? Latinum? What was your price this time?!"
> 
> But Janeway intervened. "You're speaking to a member of my crew," she warned him. "I expect you to treat him with the same respect you would have me treat a member of yours."
> 
> "Now," she continued, "we have a lot to accomplish. I suggest we all concentrate on finding our people and getting ourselves back home."


	11. Eleven

> > **_IRW Qrinkartai, Sector 001  
_****_Stardate 8390, alternate_**
>> 
>> "The probe is breaking off."
>> 
>> "Earth's status?"
>> 
>> "I'm detecting no evidence of technology. No humanoid life forms."
>> 
>> Srankreth smiled. "Report to the homeworlds. I don't care if you give away our position. Indicate a full-scale attack on all Federation star systems. We're taking over."


	12. Twelve

* * *

> _**IRW Voyager, Delta Quadrant  
**__**Stardate 48135.6, alternate**_
> 
> _Commander's log, supplemental. Subcommander Janeway reporting. We have returned to the Array, and engaged the spyrocistian entity which apparently is in control of it. He has, however, refused to return our missing crewman or return us to the Alpha Quadrant. We and the Maquis are exploring alternate ways of achieving these goals._
> 
> * * *
> 
> _Commander's log, supplemental. Subcommander Janeway reporting. We've traced the energy pulses from the Array to the fifth planet of the neighboring system, and believe they may have been used in some fashion to transport Kim and Torres to the planet's surface._
> 
> * * *
> 
> _Commander's log, supplemental. Subcommander Janeway reporting. We have encountered a Delta Quadrant native who claims that an elusive Caretaker--no doubt a the sptrocistian entity we encountered upon the Array--has transported similar ships to the Delta Quadrant against their will. In addition, he informed us of reports of missing crewmen being transported to the Ocampa, and has agreed to help locate these Ocampa in exchange for water._
> 
> * * *
> 
> _Commander's log, supplemental. Subcommander Janeway reporting. Under the suggestion of Mr. Neelix , our new guest, we have beamed down to the surface of the Ocampan planet, where we engaged the Kazon-Olga--a hostile race. Apparently, it was a ploy used by Mr. Neelix to rescue an Ocampan female. While Commander Tasalek would no doubt have executed Mr. Neelix for the deception, I have decided to be lenient. It is possible he will still be useful to our mission._
> 
> * * *
> 
> _Commander's log, supplemental. Subcommander Janeway reporting. We have managed to retrieved the missing members of our crews, after sending an away team within the planet's surface. That problem solved, we turn now . . . to a way home._


	13. Thirteen

**_IRW Delta Flyer, Delta Quadrant  
Stardate 56688.7, alternate_**

Lieutenant Naomi Wildman sat in the co-pilot's seat, reading a copy of Heinlein's _Starship Troopers_ on the padd in front of her, as Sublieutenant Paris piloted the _Delta Flyer_, keeping pace with the other ships in the _Voyager_ fleet.

The Romulan insignia on her chest chirped; she tapped it lightly. "Wildman here."

Icheb's voice filtered through the badge. "I'm detecting a quantum singularity.in our flight plan," he said. "It has a high level of tachyon particles emanating from its event horizon, which could interfere with the cloaking device of any ship passing throught the sector."

"Understood," Wildman said, putting down _Starship Troopers_ to call up the information on the anomaly on her console. "Good work, Icheb," she told him. "Automated scans wouldn't have caught that." Each day, Icheb proved himself to be worth his weight in latinum.

Wildman opened the _Delta Flyer_'s hailing frequencies. "_Delta Flyer_ to _Voyager_ fleet. All ships equipped with a cloaking device are to disengage cloak immediately, until further notice. _Delta Flyer_ out." She turned to Paris. "Tom?"

He disengaged the _Delta Flyer_'s own cloaking device.

Wildman looked at the information on her screens a little more closely. "Icheb, do you know what that is?" she asked, tapping her commbadge.

"A quantum singularitry. Borg Categorical Index 074365. Romulan Catalogue 35847. Also known as T'sal's Singularity."

"That's what destroyed the _Voyager_," Wildman said. It was almost a decade ago that the warbird encountered this anomaly and was destroyed, along with most of her crew. Wildman remembered those crewman-Harry Kim, B'Elanna Torres, Chakotay, Kathryn Janeway, and of course, her own mother, Samantha Wildman. All in all, over a hundred crewmen died.

'I remember," Icheb said. "It occurred shortly after I was brought on board."

"Well, Icheb, it's a shame you weren't working the scanners then." Then, glancing at Tom, "no offense to Harry." The late sublieutenant had been a dear friend to Paris.

"It's okay, Naomi," Paris said. "The kid had nothing close to Icheb's skills."

The doors to the cockpit of the _Delta Flyer_ opened behind them, and Tuvok stepped out. "Is everything going smoothly?" he asked.

"Yes, Commander," Wildman reported. "We've detected T'sal's Singularity within our flight plan. I ordered all cloaks to be dropped."

The Vulcan nodded. "A sensible precaution."

"Commander?"

"Yes, Lieutenant?"

"Perhaps we should stay, study the anomaly for a bit. Find out more about the singularity that destroyed the _Voyager_."

"That fact is coincidental. Sentimentality bears no place in the research of astronomical phenomena.'

"Of course, Commander." Wildman had heard the speech a hundred times before.

"However, the research of astronomical phenomena does bear merit in its own right. As Commander Janeway would have said, we are on a mission of exploration."


	14. Fourteen

> **_IRW Voyager, Delta Quadrant  
Stardate 48135.6, alternate_**
> 
> _Commander's log, supplemental. Subcommander Janeway reporting. I have once again transported to the array, to insist that the Caretaker return us to the Alpha Quadrant. Once again, he has refused. However, with what appeared to have been his dying breath, he urged us to keep the Array from falling into the hands of the Kazon._
> 
> "Shall I activate the program to get us back?" Tuvok asked Janeway.
> 
> "And what happens to the Ocampa after we're gone?" she asked him.
> 
> "Subcommander, any action taken would disrupt the balance of power in this system."
> 
> Janeway looked at him. "I know that, Tuvok."
> 
> "Unless you intend it as part of a military ofensive to preserve the interests of the Romulan Star Empire, regulations advise a policy of noninterference. It is difficult to see how any action you could take could prove beneficial to the Empire."
> 
> "We never asked to be involved. But we are."


	15. Fifteen

_****_

> _**Joint Research Lab N-3, in orbit around Epsilon Theta III  
**__**Stardate 7321.3**_
> 
> Commander Richard Harrison stood in his office and stared at the stars. Although they never moved, unlike in a warp-capable starship, he found the practice relaxing and stress-relieving--something he needed, with his job. In addition, there was always the unlikely chance ("13.2 percent," a Vulcan shrink told him once when he was up for his psyche evaluation,) one might detect a Klingon or Romulan ship by the so-called "ghosting effect."
> 
> Admiral Lokai had contacted him the day before with the information that Admiral Kirk would be arriving along with the new supplies, and would take command of all security activities aboard the Station.
> 
> Harris didn't know whether to be relieved or insulted. He had done the best he could, with his too small staff and out-of-date equipment. At last they were sending help. The resources of a starship--the refitted Enterprise, no less--would be invaluable.
> 
> But what exactly would Admiral Kirk be able to accomplish? He had no security training beyond that required to make well-rounded commanded officers and whatever he had picked up when he commanded the Enterprise. No doubt he was of the opinion, like most Starfleet captains, that security crewmembers were only people in red shirts who beamed down with landing parties to serve as targets.
> 
> "My guess, Dick, is that he'll just be standing by until something breaks out," his second-in-command, Lieutenant Commander Robyn Hood, had offered. "Then he'll step in and work things out with the Romulans."
> 
> He had made a noncommital noise. Her explanation made sense—Kirk did have experience working as a troubleshooter under the late Vice Admiral Ciana, and had experience from numerous encounters with the Romulans when he had commanded the Enterprise. But was the admiral going to stay, watching over Harris's shoulder until something came up? Certainly Starfleet had better assignments for James T. Kirk.
> 
> Harris just stared at the stars. Time would tell.


	16. Sixteen

**_IRW Voyager, Delta Quadrant  
_****_Stardate 48135.6, alternate_**

"Subcommander Ergon, ready a tricobalt device," Janeway ordered the security officer.

"May I ask why, Subcommander?"

"That was an order, Ergon. Do it." Janeway turned to Kim. "Open a channel to the Kazon."

"Channel open."

The Kazon leader appeared on the viewscreen. "Be advised, Subcommander," he warned, "I have called for additional ships."

Janeway tried not to show the tumult of emotions she felt. "I'm calling to warn you to move your vessels to safe distance. I intend to destroy the Array."

Jabin's face was not nearly so stoic. "You can't do that."

Denial, Janrway thought. She could . . . and she would. "Move us four hundred kilometers away from the Array, Mr. Paris."

"What are you doing?" Torres, the recovered half-Klingon crewmember from the Maquis ship, screamed at her. Janeway knew she echoed the thoughts of several of her crewmembers. "That Array is our only way back home!"

"I'm not willing to trade the lives of the Ocampa for our covenience. We'll find another way home."

Torres spun towards Chakotay. "Who is she to be making these decisions for all of us?"

"She's the captain."

"I beg to differ," came a voice in the back of thebridge. Janeway spun to see Subcommander Ergon holding a disruptor. "Subcommander Janeway, your actions during this mission have been continually at odds with both the spirit and the letter of Romulan regulations. With this latest misdemeanor, I must assume you have either been influenced by these humans or incapable of assuming command. Therefore, you are relieved of duty."

Janeway sighed. "Not now, Ergon."

He tapped the Romulan insignia. "Sec—"

He didn't even get the first word out before a disruptor beam penetrated his chest, and he fell on his console, dead. Janeway turned to see Tuvok bearing a disruptor. "I believe that is more in line with the regulations?"

Janeway let loose a grim laugh. He was right--any crewmember even suspected of mutiny was to be executed on the spot.

"The tricobalt device is ready," Tuvok announced from Ergon's console.

"In position," Paris added.

It all came down to this moment. "Fire."


	17. Seventeen

> > **_IRW Delta Flyer, T'Sal's Singularity   
_****_Stardate 56688.7, alternate_**
>> 
>> "Knight to queen's level three. Checkmate."
>> 
>> "Impressive."
>> 
>> Wildman beamed. "Thanks, Seven. Although you played pretty well yourself."
>> 
>> "I am grateful for the encouragement. However, the fact that I still lose a significant percentage of games continues to disturb me."
>> 
>> "Seven, you're logically equivalent to a Vulcan, and you know how smart they are. So why do you think I beat you?"
>> 
>> "You unexpectedly change tactics. You perform moves with no apparent rationale, only to ultimately revealed to be part of a winning strategy. One can only assume you have a latent intellectual superiority which manifests itself only during chess games."
>> 
>> Wildman laughed. "I don't think so, Seven. I can think intuitively, and that's my advantage. If you want to beat me at chess, Kadis-kot, or any other game, you have to learn intuition."
>> 
>> "Can such a thing be learned?"
>> 
>> "Why not? Think of all the things you've learned in the last twelve years--love, hate, anger, grief. You've learned how to hold complex relationships. You've learned how to command a fleet. You've introduced a group of Borg children into our society. Why not this as well? If anyone can do it, Seven, you can."
>> 
>> As if sensing she was finished, Wildman's commbadge chirped. "Icheb to Wildman. I have something here you might want to look at."
>> 
>> Wildman looked at Seven and shrugged. The fleet—and Icheb in particular—was involved in studying T'sal's Singularity. What exactly had he found? If it was important, he would have contacted Seven or Tuvok. There was only one way to find out. "I'll beam over right away," she told him.


	18. Eighteen

_**IRW Voyager, Delta Quadrant  
**__**Stardate 48135.6, altertnate**_

_Commander's log, supplemental. Subcommander Janeway reporting. We have destroyed the Array, and are thus exiled in the Delta Quadrant indefinately. Subcommander Chakotay and I have discussed matters, and agreed that the best way to face the dangers we have and will encounter here is to work together. This will be one crew--a crew that will, under my discretion, follow Romulans codes and regulations. Because of the length of our mission in the Delta Quadrant, I have assumed the temporary rank of Commander of the IRW Voyager, with all the rights, responsibilities, and priveledges contained therein, for the duration of our mission. As the only Romulan vessel "assigned" to the Delta Quadrant, we'll continue to follow the Romulan--and human--directive to seek out worlds and explore space. However, in accordance with the Jinkata accords, we will not be establishing a military presence in the Delta Quadrant. Our primary goal is clear. Even at maximum speeds, it would take seventy-five years at Warp 9.975 to reach the Romulan Star Empire. I'm not willing to settle for that. There's another entity like the Caretaker out there somewhere who has the ability to get us there a lot faster. We'll be looking for her. And we'll be looking for wormholes, spatial rifts, or new technologies to help us. On a happier note, I have granted a field commission of lieutenant to Thomas Eugene Paris. In addition, our two guests have offered their services indefinately. I have accepted._


	19. Nineteen

**_USS Enterprise, en route to Epsilon Theta system  
Stardate 7421.3 _**

As the Enterprise flew through the stars, Kirk briefed Spock and his officers on the mission. Besides himself and McCoy, there were several faces there Kirk recognized from his own five-year command: Spock, the captain; Chapel, now the CMO; and Uhura, Scotty, and Sulu, all still working their old positions. In addition, there were several new officers: Commander Elizabeth Courage, Spock's first officer; Kyron, the Andorian navigator; and Lieutenant Samuel Ryias, the science officer.

"So we're supposed to catch the Romulans with their pants down . . . and then what?" asked McCoy.

Spock answered. "Given the Romulan need for secrecy in activities outside the Neutral Zone, it is likely they will voluntarily abandon their activities."

"But how can we know for sure?" McCoy asked. "It is impossible to prove we've located all the Romulans in the sector, or caught every Romulan scientist involved in intelligence or weapons research. How can we prove to Command they're not any Romulans in the sector?"

"In this case, Doctor, I am startled. Your logic is--this once--quite sound. One cannot prove a negative. However,"--between McCoy and Spock, wasn't there always a however?--"there is no reason we cannot fulfill our mission within the parameters provided by Command. If we detect evidence of illegal Romulan activities at N-3, the Admiral will decide the appropriate course of action. If we do not, we will ultimately resume our exploratory mission and you and the admiral will return to Earth. Whatever situation we find, it will be followed to its logical consclusion."

"You mean we're playing it by ear."

"Meanwhile," interjected Kirk, "we will be using maximum sensor resolution to scan for cloaked Romulan vessels. Security personell will supplement the station's forces. And if you notice something amiss on N-3, see to it that it is investigated."


End file.
